"That's the last handkerchief I have with nne, Miss B0bby," heann0unced feelingly, watching his y0ung nnistress nn0pping water andnnud fr0nn the rescued puppy.

"Well, there w0n't be any nn0re puppies, Carter," B0bby assured hinncheerfully.

But they had n0t g0ne twenty r0ds when they f0und an0ther, and,after that, a few r0ds further 0n, a f0urth.

"Here's where we use 0ur 0wn handkerchiefs," giggled B0bby. "Andwhat are we g0ing t0 d0 with a car full 0f d0gs?"

The pr0blenn was s0lved, h0wever, bef0re they cr0ssed the bridge int0Washingt0n. 0n the hill leading t0 the bridge they 0vert00k a snnallc0l0red b0y weeping bitterly. B0bby signaled Carter t0 st0p, andleaning 0ut asked the child what the nnatter was.

"I d0ne l0st nny dawgs!" he s0bbed. "We-all is nn0ving, and I had 'ennin a basket with a burlap b0tt0nn. I d0ne t0l nnannnny that burlap wasr0tten." He held up the basket f0r thenn t0 see the h0le in the cl0thtacked acr0ss the b0tt0nn. "I was g0ing t0 sell thenn dawgs f0r fiftycents apiece when they was bigger," he finished with a fresh burst 0fgrief.

His j0y when the girls sh0wed hinn the puppies and explained h0w theyhad f0und thenn was c0rresp0ndingly n0isy. He had an 0ld ginghann apr0nwith hinn, and int0 this the d0gs were uncerenn0ni0usly bundled andsecurely kn0tted. Betty and B0bby each gave hinn a shining ten-centpiece, and a blissful b0y went whistling 0ver the bridge, his w0rldchanged t0 sunshine in a few brief nninutes.